Biology 1B: Evolution and Diversity of Organisms

Undergraduate | 2026

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Area/Catalogue
BIOL 1004
Course ID icon
Course ID
200354
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course level icon
Course level
1
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes
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Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

This course provides a comprehensive foundation to the diversity of life on earth, using the evolution of form and function of multicellular organisms as a unifying theme. Students will build depth of understanding of topics on the fundamentals of evolution, animal biology, plant biology and ecology. The knowledge synthesised during learning activities will be strengthened and applied in laboratory practicals. This course forms part of the fundamentals of the breadth of biology, complementing the different dimensions of the other Biology I courses. This course is foundational for majors in environmental biology, evolutionary biology, and plant and animal sciences disciplines.

  • Evolution Part 1
  • Evolution Part 2
  • Protists And Fungi
  • Plant Biology Part 1
  • Plant Biology Part 2
  • Plant Biology Part 3
  • Animal Biology Part 1
  • Animal Biology Part 2
  • Ecology Part 1
  • Ecology Part 2

Course learning outcomes

  • Describe and discuss how evolution by natural selection has affected the diversity of organisms on earth
  • Explain how plants' structures and associated functions fit with the natural history of that plant group, from non-vascular plants through to flowering plants. Describe and discuss how plants obtain water and nutrients and can respond to stimuli
  • Explain how animals' structures and associated functions fit with the natural history of that animal group. Compare and contrast form and function across different animal classes, e.g. of embryonic development, various organ systems
  • Formulate plausible hypotheses to explain the origin and function of biological traits in organisms
  • Explain how key ecological processes affect the distribution and abundance of organisms, and how restorative processes might redress change
  • Execute experiments to generate results, analyse and interpret experimental data, and present the results in an appropriate scientific format

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A